Ventilated metal awning



June 9, 1953 1.. J. FREEMAN, JR 2,641,032

VENTILATED METAL AWNING Filed June 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 In yer/tor Lawson J. Freeman J/-.

June 9, 1953 L. J. FREEMAN, JR 2,641,032

VENTILATED METAL AWNING Filed June 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor I I Lawson Freeman Jr.

Attorneys June 9, 1953 1.. J. FREEMAN, JR 2,641,032

VENTILATED METAL AWNING Filed June 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Lawson J, Freeman Jr:

By Y

A Ilorne s June 9, 1953 L. J. FREEMAN, JR 2,641,032

VENTILATED METAL AWNING Filed June 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor Lawson J. Freeman Jr.

"""llllml A ttorneys L. J. FREEMAN, JR 2,641,032

June 9, 1953 VENTILATED METAL AWNING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 5, 1950 INVENTOR. 167N500 J. 9619/7707? J1.

Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE VENTILATED METAL AWNING Application June 5, 1950, Serial No. 166,250

8 Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a ventilated metal awning, and more specifically pertains to an. aluminum or other light-weight ventilated metal awning composed of a plurality of plates to form roof and end panels having an improved and ventilating construction therein.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved ventilated metal awning which maybe conveniently assembled from a plurality of standard sheet metal sections to selectively form a ventilated awning roof or an awning having a ventilated roof and ends of any desired size.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved ventilated metal awning in conformity with the foregoing object wherein the sheet metal sections or elements. making up the awning may be assembled in an improved, more durable, more easily assembled or removed manner, and wherein a desired spaced relationmay be maintained between the various elements to facilitate the assembly or disassembly of the device and to provide improved ventilating and watershed means.

A still further object of the invention is to pro vide an improved ventilated sectional metal awning in conformity with the above mentioned objects, having an improved manner by which the roof sections may be secured to and mounted upon a flashing fastened to a vertical support or like supporting surface.

And an important object of the invention is to provide an improved sectional ventilated metal awning in accordance with the preceding objects having improved means for securing adjacent sections to each other and to battens forming a part of the supporting framework of the awning.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a ventilated metal awning as set forth in the foregoing objects, wherein there is provided an improved means for fastening the ends of the awning to the roof panel; and wherein improved ventilation may be effected through the sections forming the ends and roof panels of the awning.

These, together 11th various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the ventilated metal awning forming the subject of this invention mounted upon the side of a building over a window of the same;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the awning of Figure 1, a part of the roof panel being broken away to show the engagement of the roof panel sections with the supporting flashing of the awning;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the awning of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the awning taken from the right of Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the awning of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the broken section line E-6 of Figure 5 and showing particularly the arrangement of the sections forming the roof, together with the manner in which the roof panel is attached to the end panels of the awning;

Figure '7 is a vertical transverse sectional detail View taken substantially on the plane of the section line 7l of Figure 3 and illustrating the manner in which the sections of the roof panel are attached to each other and to a supporting batten of the awning.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the fastening clips of the invention showing the same mounted upon one of the roof panel sections of the awning;

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 9-9 of Figure 3 and illustrating, in particular, the manner in which one of the roof sections is secured to the supporting flashing of the device;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of one of the roof sections of the awning showing in particular the ventilating means thereof.

Figure 11 is a plan view of a modified form of awning;

Figure 12 is a side elevation of-Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a section through the cover and pan used in this modification on line l3-l3 of Figure 11; and

Figure 14 is a plan view looking down at the side wall used on each side of the awning, the cover and pan being removed to indicate its structure.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, the numeral H3 designates, as an entirety, the ventilated metal awning forming the the subject of this invention which, in accordance with conventional practice, is adapted to be mounted upon a vertical supporting surface, such as a wall of a building or the like I2, in proper position thereon to cover and shade the upper portion of a window or the like 14.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, ventilated metal awnings have achieved a wide degree of popularity in the trade, and particularly in industrial establishments such as hotels, ofiice buildings, shops and the like, by virtue of their rigid and permanent or semi-permanent installation, their long life, their freedom from frequent servicing or repairs, and by their ventilating characteristics, the independence of their utility from varying seasonal demands of the elements.

Nevertheless, certain defects are apparent in present ventilated metal awnings as new constituted and in use, these defects arising chiefly from the difficulty of handling the sheet metal parts in assembling such awnings; the necessity for skilled labor to properly assemble the parts; the difficulty of satisfactorily ventilating the awning panel while maintaining the same with the requisite rigidity and strength.

The present invention aims to overcome these prior deficiencies of conventional metal awnings by fabricating a metal awning of any desired size economically and with a minimum of skilled labor by providing a few standardized sectional elements which are capable of assembly in an improved and easy manner to form the desired awning; which, when so assembled, shall be free from rattling of the various elements, will be of sturdy yet of light-weight construction; will have the desired ventilating action; yet will positively prevent the ingress of rain or moisture through the ventilating apertures into the interior of the awning.

For this purpose, an improved roof and end panel construction of the awning is provided, and since it is understood that the construction of the sections forming the end and roof panels will be substantially identical, it is considered that a description of the construction of the roof panel will suffice for an understanding of the same.

Referring now to the various views of the drawings, it will now be seen that the roof panel, and also the end panels, consist of two sets or series of sheet metal elements or sections. Thus, a plurality of sheet metal trays 16 are disposed in side-by-side but spaced relation and preferably, although not necessarily in parallel relation and preferably substantially in the same plane. superposed over and spaced from the trays are a plurality of similarly arranged cover pans 18 which likewise are disposed in laterally spaced side relation and staggered with respect to the trays I6 in order to overlie and be superposed over the spaces between the adjacent edges of adjacent trays.

One or more transversely extending battens 20, whichfif desired, may consist of conventional forms of channel-shaped members, are provided, and the trays are directly secured, to these battens in a manner to be subsequently set forth, while the cover pans are secured in fixed relation to the trays and battens.

Referring now more specifically to Figures 6 and 7, it will be seen that each of the trays l6 comprises a fiat plate or bottom portion having upstanding walls 22 preferably, although not necessarily positioned at its side edges, and at their upper extremities, the upstanding Walls 22 are provided with inwardly extending flanges 24 which may be conveniently disposed in parallel relation to the central portions of the trays. At their inward edges, the flanges 24 are provided with upwardly disposed inwardly inclined rims 26.

The cover pans l8 are likewise provided with a flat central plate, having depending walls 2? preferably although not necessarily provided at the edges of the cover pan, the lower ends of these depending walls being inturned to provide flanges 28 having upturned rims 30 at their extremities. The flanges 28, as shown in Figure 10, are provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, elongated slots 30 which form ventilating apertures or means for a purpose which will be subsequently apparent.

As shown more clearly in Figures 7 and 8, fastening clips are provided for securing the cover pans, the trays and the battens in properly assembled position with respect to each other. Conveniently, these clips may comprise Z-shaped brackets consisting of metallic strips having a central or vertically disposed portion 32 which is rigidly secured to the upstanding walls 22 of the trays, as by rivets 34, although bolts or welding may be employed if deemed desirable. At their lower extremities, the clips have angularly disposed perpendicular terminal portions 36 which are apertured, as at 38, for the reception of fastening bolts such as self-threading metal screws or the like 40, by means of which the clips, and consequently the trays to which they are rigidly or permanently secured may be in turn,

detachably secured to the battens 20.

At their upper extremities, the central portions 32 of the fastening clips are provided with angulated terminal portions 42 which preferably extend oppositely from the portions 36, and which are apertured, as at 44, for the reception of selfthreading bolts 46 or the like, by means of which the cover pans l8 may be detachably secured to the clips and rigidly mounted in spaced relation above the trays.

As will now be seen by reference to Figure 7, in particular, by means of the clips the individual trays are rigidly secured to the battens in the desired spaced relation with respect to each other, and the cover pans are likewise secured in the properly spaced relation to the trays and batens.

It should be here particularly noted that the arrangement is such that in the assembled position shown in Figures 6 and '7, the flat central or bottom plates of the trays are disposed in the same plane and rest upon the battens 20; the flanges 24 and 28 of the upstanding and depending Walls 22 and 26 are disposed in substantial alignment with respect to each other, while the inclined rims 2B overlie and rest upon the corresponding upturned rims 30, thus extending into the space between the cover pans I8 and the flanges.

By this arrangement, the inclined rims con through the spaces between the cover pan and the aligned adjacent flanges of adjacent upstanding: and depending walls, and thence downwardly through the ventilating apertures 31 into the space between. the: overhanging. aligned? flanges and the bottom. plates. of. the trays. However, the direct inflow of water, such as rain. or the like, into the interior construction of the awning. is prevented, since any waterwhich. would splash orenter into the interior of the cover pan structure through the: ventilating. apertures El would. be trapped by the water shield or bafile 2t and by the baffle or upstanding 3B, and prevented from passinginto the interior of thecover pan, being drained or discharged outwardly of the device back through the ventilating apertures 3|.

Preferably, the inclined rim 26: rests directly upon and tightly engages the upstanding rim. (to to prevent. rattling. between these contacting sur faces; and if desired suiilcient flexing and resiliency may be imparted to the corresponding portions ofv the cover pans and trays to tension this engagement. and further lessen any tendency to rattle.

Since the end panels are or" identical sec" tional construction to that described in conner;- tion with the. roof panel, a detailed description of the same is believed to unnecessary, it being merely noted that the end may conveniently comprise horizontally extending channel-shaped. frame members which, at their outer ends, are engaged by the lower extremities of inclined frame members 59'. The panel sections of the end panels are secured, as by screws or other fasteners, to the channel members. 48 and 5G to provide a rigid but ventilated end panet construction. These end panels; hereinafter identified by the reference numeral generally, are attached to. the roof pane], in an improved; novel and water-tight manner as follows. The upper frame member 58' may be" considered as a header plate, and, as shown best in Figure l, comprises a substantially vertical plate portion 5 t against which the inner surfaces of the end plates 52 bear, being rigidly attached thereto as by rivets or other suitable fasteners 5t, see Figure 1. At its lower cutreu'li'ty, the header fill" is provided with an inwardly extending flange 5-8 which serves to impart rigidity to the construction to further strengthen the same in view of the sheet metal material employed in fabricatthe parts of the awning. At its upper edge, the plate portion 55. is provided with an outwardly ester. lug flange which overlies and rests upon the upper edges of the sections forming the end panels. lhe outer edge of the flanged. portion SE! is abutted against the inner surface of a depending flange 52 which is formed as the lower edge of a downwardly and outwardly sloplug surface tit of an end tray iii; of the awning roof. These and trays {it at the two sides of the roof panel are of reversed construction, and each is provided with the same upstanding wal'bflange and rim construction 2'2, 24, and 2s, previously mentioned, and is associated in the same way with the adjacent edge of the compost of the cover pans it. It will thus be seen that the end panels are directly attached to, and are re celved beneatlfi the end trays lit of the roof panel, with the depending flanges til extending down beneath the horizontal flanges fit of the header plate, to establish a tight weather proof seal and prevent the ingress of water or the like therebetween.

The ends of the header member 5tand' the frame members. ca, adjacent. the supporting surface [2, may be flanged or otherwise provided with 'fastening'meansfor attachmentto. the supporting surface in. any desired. manner.

However, an improved construction is provided for supporting the weight of the awning from the supporting surface l2, for establishing a weather proof seal at this point and for securing together in spaced relation the upper edges of the roof panel sections.

This combined flashing and supporting means for the awning, as shown best in Figures 2 and consists of anangulated plate or channel memher having a vertically disposed supporting plate 68 which may be secured as. by a fastening screw or the like 10 to the vertical supporting surface 12, this: plate, at its upper end, having an outwardly and upwardly flaring edge l2 providing a gutter or channel for the-reception of caulking material or the like between the plate portion l2 and the supporting surface l2, thus sealing the; joint between the flashing and the supporing: surface from the ingress of moisture.

At itslower extremity, the supporting plate Ell is provided: with an angulated, downwardly and outwardly extending portion M which extends transversely the entire width of the: awning roof panel. The upper ends of the series of trays. have their upstanding walls 22, flanges 28' and rims 26 cut away or notched at their upper ends as shown in Figure 9 so that the central plate of re trays may be received underneath angul'ated plate 14' and be detachably secured thereto as by a self-threading bolt or: the like 1-6. The cover pans tit, however, overlie the entire-flashing and supporting'plate structure, as shown in Figure 92-, and: being directly secured to the fastening clips are thus rigidly mounted and supported.

In order to further ventilate: the spaces between adjacent trays; and to ventilate the interior of the awning below the roof, portions of the lower edge of the angula-ted section it are partially severed by parallel cuts, and the ma teri'al between these cuts is thrust upwardly, as at 78, to provide shields or baflies which are of suflicient length to overlie the space between the adjacent upstanding walls flanges 23" rims 26' of adjacent trays, but are spaced from the ends of the same shown in. Figure 9. The upstanding shields or baffles KS be of any desired length, and if desired may extend into closeproximity to or may even engage the under surface of the cover pans E8; but preferably are of sufficient height to substantially overlie the cut away upper ends of the upstanding walls 22-, flanges 28 and rims 26'.

It will nowbe seen that when the flashing has been mounted in place upon the supporting surface, any desired number of trays it and cover pans it assembled upon the requisite number of buttons 2T8 may be attached thereto, with the trays underlying the member M; and with the pans overlying the flashing, s shown in Figure 9, and any desired number of trays it with their attached fastening clips to form the requisite width of awning for the battens m attached thereto may be mounted thereon. For this purpose, the upper ends of the trays are disposed beneath the: member it and then secured thereto, as by the self-threading screws it. cover pans F3 are then applied. being thrust up endwise over and embracing the adjacent upstanding walls of adjacent trays, and are secured in place by the self-threading fastening bolts 4-6;

7. Where-desired, the lower ends of the pansand trays may be bent downward to provide a valance, as illustrated in Figure 1. The extremities of the headers 50 and frame members 48 may be then likewise attached to the supporting surface in any desired manner.

The modified form-of awning shown in Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 consists of an awning having the general outward appearance of an awning of rigid material. It is, however, of the same type of structure shown previously in this description, but has a somewhat different form of cover, pan and connection members. A plurality of covers H8, are surmounted on a plurality of pans H0 so connected that they are alternately arranged to form the roof of the awning. The cover H8, is formed with a flat upper area from which the sides I00, extend as longitudinal bevels to vertical walls I0l. Bottom rims I02 extend inwardly at right angles to these walls and serve as a base for the cov The pans are principally made in the form ofa relatively fiat piece of material with their longitudinal edge portions bent to U-shaped clips I03 of a size to fit around the cover rims I02 and hold them. These clips may be used for slipping the covers into place during assembly and for crimping afterwards to make a watertight joint. The middle area of each pan is offset from the plane of the clips slightly where the pans and walls IOI meet. The covers IIB are additionally secured to the pans II6 by a suitable number of clamps consisting of a channel strut I28 running transversely under the covers and pans and held thereto by bolts I05, pressing a hanger I06 against the clips I03. The manner of joining the covers, pans and clamps is clearly shown in Figure 13.

The side walls H0, used with this modified form of awning is of vertical saw-tooth contour. Each wall is bent from one or more pieces of material and joined by screws. The walls are braced by channels I06 running transversely behind the wall. The walls IIO are bent with apexed portions I05, extending outwardly and section I01 of the walls straight out from the wall plane converging with the angular sections I08. At the widened area of the walls or the valleys between the sections, a short straight section I09 serves to make a good rest and contact with the channels I06 and permit screws I I I to be used for fastening, as needed.

The remainder of the awning is generally similar to the previously described awnings, and a flashing support I I2 is used along the upper border to hold the awning to a vertical wall. The awning has bevel aprons 3 from the roof of the awning to shield the side walls.

This form of awning is particularly strong and can be employed in areas where the wind is strong. The saw-tooth construction is particularly rigid while also having ventilation features. The awning uses very few fastenings visible exteriorly, and it will not leak through its roof construction when the covers and fan join. The components of the awning can be standardized and easily assembled. The material from which the awning can be made need not be limited as many materials besides metal are available, as long as they have adequate thickness, stiffness and strength to warrant their use. It is therefore not'intended to limit th material to metal, and where metal is mentioned it is intended to include within its meaning other suitable materials.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device, together with its many ad-' vantages, will be readily understood, and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is as follows:

1. A metal awning including a plurality of trays disposed in side-by-side laterally spaced relation, a plurality of laterally spaced cover pans disposed in superposed staggered relation to said trays, said trays having upstanding side walls, and clips secured to said walls and cover pans for fixedly securing said pans and trays in spaced. relation, said clips comprising central portions secured against outer side faces of said upstanding walls and angularly directed terminal portions constituting feet, the (upper and) lower feet of said clips being formed with fastener receiving openings whereby the lower feet may be secured upon a support, and the upper feet being also formed with fastener receiving openings, and removable fasteners passing downwardly through the cover pans and through the openings in the upper feet and securing the cover pans upon upper surfaces of the upper feet pans.

2. A metal awning including a plurality of trays disposed in side-by-side laterally spaced relation, a plurality of laterally spaced cover pans disposed in superposed staggered relation to said trays, said trays having upstanding walls, battens secured to said walls and cover pans for fixedly securing said pans and trays in spaced relation, said clips comprising stiff metal strips secured against outer side faces of said upstanding walls and having angularly directed upper and lower end portions constituting feet extend ing in opposite directions, the lower feet being secured upon the battens by removable fasteners passing through the said feet and the battens and the cover pans resting upon the upper feet and being removably secured by fasteners passwhat is ing through the cover pans and the said upper feet.

3. A metal awning including a roof and a pair of ends, said roof having its sides sloping downwardly and outwardly and terminating laterally in depending edges, said ends having their upper edges received under said sloping sides and secured thereto, a header plate having a top surface resting upon the upper edges of each of said ends and received under said sloping sides and a side surface secured to the inner surface of said end and a flange secured to one of said depending edges.

4. A metal awning comprising a batten, a pair of trays resting upon said batten and disposed in laterally spaced relation to each other and having upstanding side walls, a cover pan extending between and overlapping said trays, clips having central portions secured to the side walls of said trays and projecting upwardly therefrom, angulated upper and lower end portions for said clips respectively removably bearing against under surfaces of said cover pans and upper surfaces of said battens, fasteners passing downwardly through the lower end portions of the 

